Electronic device with combination heat sink/blower or fan assembly having air duct

ABSTRACT

An electronic device includes a circuit board having heat generating components thereon. A heat sink with air current generating electric device assembly lies over the circuit board, through which heat from the circuit board and the components thereon is dispersed. The assembly includes a heat sink having a solid central core and a plurality of fins protruding from the core. An air current generating electric device is disposed over the heat sink and having an air intake facing a top of the heat sink and an exhaust opening directed parallel to a plane of the circuit board. An air duct extends from the exhaust opening of the air current generating electric device to exhaust apertures on at least one side wall of the electronic device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 61/716,640, filed Oct. 22, 2012, which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present principles relate generally to electronic devices and, moreparticularly, to an electronic device with a combination heatsink/blower or fan assembly having an air duct.

BACKGROUND

Consumer/market preference for set top boxes and the like (such ascomputers, game consoles, DVD players, CD player, etc.) is to have suchdevices be small/compact.

Also, there is a need in set top boxes and the like to have long termperformance capabilities and a need for product versatility/highfunctionality. This product versatility/high functionality requirementimplies that numerous components such as hard drives, smart cards,printed circuit boards, light sources for panel buttons and light pipes,panel jacks, fans/blowers, heat sinks, etc., need to be in the device.Long term performance generally implies that heat generated by suchdevices be effectively managed or dissipated to keep the device at safeoperating temperatures.

With the small size preference and high functionality requirement, settop boxes and the like must be densely packed with internal components,which causes space to be at a premium.

In particular, hard drives take up substantial space and generatesignificant heat. Thus, a need exists to manage and remove the heatgenerated by hard drives while avoiding an increase in the need for morespace in set top boxes and like.

SUMMARY

These and other drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art areaddressed by the present principles, which are directed to an electronicdevice with a combination heat sink/blower or fan assembly having an airduct.

According to an aspect of the present principles, there is provided anelectronic device. The electronic device includes a circuit board havingheat generating components thereon. The electronic device furtherincludes a heat sink with an air current generating electric deviceassembly, disposed over the circuit board, through which heat from thecircuit board and the components thereon is released or dispersed. Theheat sink with air current generating electric device assembly includesa heat sink having a solid central core and a plurality of finsprotruding from the core. The heat sink with air current generatingelectric device assembly further includes an air current generatingelectric device disposed over the heat sink and having an air intakefacing a top of the heat sink and an exhaust opening directed parallelto a plane of the circuit board. The heat sink with air currentgenerating electric device assembly also includes an air duct having achannel that extends from the exhaust opening of the air currentgenerating electric device to exhaust apertures on at least one sidewall of the electronic device.

According to another aspect of the present principles, there is providedan electronic device. The electronic device includes a cover, side wallsperpendicular to the cover, a bottom frame parallel to the cover, and acircuit board having heat generating components thereon. The electronicdevice further includes a heat sink with air current generating electricdevice assembly, disposed over the circuit board, through which heatfrom the circuit board and the components thereon is released ordispersed. The heat sink with air current generating electric deviceassembly has an air duct with a channel that extends from an exhaustopening of the heat sink with air current generating electric deviceassembly to exhaust apertures on at least one of the side walls toexhaust heated air out of the device.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the presentprinciples will become apparent from the following detailed descriptionof exemplary embodiments, which is to be read in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present principles may be better understood in accordance with thefollowing exemplary figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view 199 of an electronic device 100, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present principles;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view 299 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples;

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view 399 of the heat sink with blower assemblyin a disassembled state, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view 499 of the heat sink 253 alone that willsit over the printed circuit board (PCB) 101, in accordance with anembodiment of the present principles;

FIG. 5 shows another perspective view 599 of the heat sink 253 alonethat will sit over the PCB 101, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent principles;

FIG. 6 shows a plan view 699 indicating cross-sections A-A and B-B ofthe heat sink 253 alone that will sit over the PCB 101, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present principles;

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view 799 of the heat sink 253 along lineA-A, in accordance with an embodiment of the present principles;

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view 899 of the heat sink 253 along lineB-B, in accordance with an embodiment of the present principles;

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view 999 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples;

FIG. 10 shows a plan view 1099 indicating cross-sections B-B and C-C ofthe heat sink with blower assembly 104, in accordance with an embodimentof the present principles;

FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view 1199 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104 along line B-B, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent principles;

FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view 1299 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104 along line C-C, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent principles;

FIG. 13 shows a plan view 1399 of the heat sink 253 alone that will sitover the PCB 101, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples;

FIG. 14 shows a perspective view 1499 of the heat sink 253 alone thatwill sit over the PCB 101, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent principles;

FIG. 15 shows another perspective view 1599 of the heat sink 253 alonethat will sit over the PCB 101, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent principles;

FIG. 16 shows a perspective view 1699 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104 without the air duct 1760 attached on the air duct mountingside 907, in accordance with an embodiment of the present principles;

FIG. 17 shows a perspective view 1799 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104 on the PCB 101 with the air duct 1760 mounted on the airduct mounting side 907, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples;

FIG. 18 shows a perspective view 1899 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104 that depicts the air flow through the air duct 1760, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present principles; and

FIG. 19 shows a perspective interior view 1999 of the heat sink withblower assembly 104 that depicts the air flow through the air duct 1760and out of the electronic device 100 through exhaust apertures 1951 onthe side wall 151, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present principles are directed to an electronic device with acombination heat sink/blower or fan assembly having an air duct.

The present description illustrates the present principles. It will thusbe appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devisevarious arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shownherein, embody the present principles and are included within its spiritand scope.

All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended forpedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the presentprinciples and the concepts contributed by the inventors to furtheringthe art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to suchspecifically recited examples and conditions.

Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, andembodiments of the present principles, as well as specific examplesthereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functionalequivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalentsinclude both currently known equivalents as well as equivalentsdeveloped in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform thesame function, regardless of structure.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” ofthe present principles, as well as other variations thereof, means thata particular feature, structure, characteristic, and so forth describedin connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodimentof the present principles. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in oneembodiment” or “in an embodiment”, as well any other variations,appearing in various places throughout the specification are notnecessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

A first embodiment of the present principles will be described withrespect to FIG. 1, which is directed to an electronic device with a heatsink/blower or fan assembly. It is to be appreciated that the while aheat sink with blower or fan may be used in accordance with variousembodiments of the present principles, the term “air current generatingelectric device” is interchangeably used to refer to any of a fan or ablower.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view 199 of an electronic device 100, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present principles. The electronicdevice 100 can be, for example, but is not limited to, a set top box, ahard drive, a DVD player, and so forth. These and other embodiments ofan electronic device to which the present principles can be applied arereadily determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, given theteachings of the present principles provided herein, while maintainingthe spirit of the present principles.

The electronic device 100 can include a printed circuit board (PCB) 101,a heat sink with blower or fan assembly (hereinafter “heat sink withblower assembly” for the sake of brevity) 104, a cover 150, side walls151, a bottom frame 152, and an air duct 160. The PCB 101 can includeheat-generating components. The heat sink with blower assembly 104 canbe located on the PCB 101 or on a heat-generating component of theelectronic device (e.g., a component on the PCB 101, a power supply, andso forth). The side walls 151 are perpendicular to the cover 150. Thebottom frame 152 is parallel to the cover 150. The heat sink with blowerassembly 104 can be located over the circuit board (through which heatfrom, e.g., a hard drive (or other heat-generating device) can bereleased or dispersed. The heat sink with blower assembly 104 includesthe air duct 160. The air duct 160 has a channel that extends from theexhaust opening of the heat sink with blower assembly 104 to exhaustapertures 161 on the side wall 151 to exhaust heated air out of thedevice.

The electronic device 100 is depicted in FIG. 1 with is a front panel(not shown) removed to illustrate the heat sink with blower assembly104. It is to be appreciated that while not shown, other components suchas, but not limited to, smart card sockets, lighting components,receiver components, hard drives, and so forth can be included inelectronic device 100.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view 299 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples. The heat sink with blower assembly 104 includes: a heat sink253 having a solid central core (see FIGS. 4 and 5) and a plurality offins 252 protruding from the core; and a blower or fan 209 over the heatsink 253. The air intake of the heat sink with blower assembly 104 facesthe top of the heat sink 253 (that is, air is drawn upward through theheat sink and towards the blower or fan 209). The exhaust of the bloweror fan 209 is directed horizontally (i.e., parallel to the plane of thecircuit board) through an exhaust opening 277.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view 399 of the heat sink with blower assembly104 in a disassembled state, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent principles. In particular, FIG. 3 shows how elements of theelectronic device 100 such as, for example, the heat sink 253 and theblower or fan 209, are integrated with the PCB 101. The heat sink withblower assembly 104 includes the bottom frame 152, a main PCB 101, amain integrated circuit (IC) 302, a locator pin insert 303, a standoffinsert 304, an extruded heat sink 253, a threaded insert 306, a screw307 for the heat sink 253, the blower or fan 209, and a screw 308 forthe blower or fan 209.

The heat sink 253 can have a concave pocket 309 facing a mountingsurface of the blower or fan 209. The main IC 302 can have a thermal pad311 disposed thereon. The standoff insert 304 between the PCB 101 andthe heat sink 253 can keep the heat sink from rattling and keep the heatsink spaced from the PCB 101. A mounting surface 344 of the blower orfan 209 is opposite a top surface 345 of the blower or fan 209.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view 499 of the heat sink 253 alone that willsit over the PCB 101, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples. FIG. 5 shows another perspective view 599 of the heat sink253 alone that will sit over the PCB 101, in accordance with anembodiment of the present principles. FIG. 6 shows a plan view 699indicating cross-sections A-A and B-B of the heat sink 253 alone thatwill sit over the PCB 101, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent principles. FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view 799 of the heatsink 253 along line A-A, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples. FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view 899 of the heat sink 253along line B-B, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples.

Regarding FIGS. 4 and 5, a solid central core 401 is generallycylindrical and vertically standing. The fins 252 can include aplurality of peripheral fins generally being flat and extending outwardfrom the central core 401.

Regarding FIGS. 6-8, the heat sink 253 includes a machined air inletarea profile 701. In an embodiment, the threaded insert 306 can be pressfit into the heat sink 253. In an embodiment, the standoff insert 304can be press fit into the heat sink 253.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view 999 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples. FIG. 10 shows a plan view 1099 indicating cross-sections B-Band C-C of the heat sink with blower assembly 104, in accordance with anembodiment of the present principles. FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectionalview 1199 of the heat sink with blower assembly 104 along line B-B, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present principles. FIG. 12 shows across-sectional view 1299 of the heat sink with blower assembly 104along line C-C, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples.

The heat sink 253 has a periphery 978 that substantially follows aperiphery 977 of the blower or fan 209. The blower or fan 209 isintended to be an implementation in which the blades of the rotatingdevice are vertical (for a blower that focuses on pushing airhorizontally out of the exhaust 277 on an air duct mounting side 907) ortilted from vertical (for a fan that forces air both horizontally andupward so that there can be openings 915 in the top of the fan to permitair out through the top also). The blower or fan 209 is intended to drawair in through the openings 915 on the mounting side 903 of the fan 209(which can also extend through the heat sink 253 to a side opposite amounting side of the blower or fan as shown). This forces air up throughthe fins 252 of the heat sink 253.

FIG. 13 shows a plan view 1399 of the heat sink 253 alone that will sitover the PCB 101, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples. FIG. 14 shows a perspective view 1499 of the heat sink 253alone that will sit over the PCB 101, in accordance with an embodimentof the present principles. FIG. 15 shows another perspective view 1599of the heat sink 253 alone that will sit over the PCB 101, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present principles.

Regarding FIGS. 13-15, the fins 252 can be generally flat and standvertically and extend outward from the central core 401. There can be anumber of fins 252 to promote thermal emissivity and promote air flow.The heat sink 253 can match the plan view profile of the blower or fan209 and can be rectangular. The center diameter of the core 401 can bereduced to allow more air inlet. For example, the core 401 can take upless than 20 percent of the plan view surface area. Of course, othershapes and percentages can also be used in accordance with the teachingsof the present principles, while maintain the spirit of the presentprinciples.

FIG. 16 shows a perspective view 1699 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104 without the air duct 1760 (shown in FIGS. 17-8) attached onthe air duct mounting side 907, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent principles. The heat sink 253 can be an extrusion with press-ininserts 306 (see FIG. 3) and no machining to reduce cost. The centerdiameter 1659 of the blower or fan 209 (the core 401) can be reduced toallow more air through the blower or fan 209. The blades 1681 of theblower or fan 209 can blow air out though the exhaust opening 277.

FIG. 17 shows a perspective view 1799 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104 on the PCB 101 with the air duct 1760 mounted on the airduct mounting side 907, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples. The air duct 1760 can be curved to dampen noise from theblower or fan 209 as it forces air out of the electronic device 100. Thebottom frame 152 can include various attachment points 1701 forattaching other elements of the electronic device 100 thereto.

FIG. 18 shows a perspective view 1899 of the heat sink with blowerassembly 104 that depicts the air flow through the air duct 1760, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present principles. In particular,the various arrows (without reference numerals) shown in FIG. 18 depictthe air flow through the air duct 1760 including through a channel 1855thereof. In FIG. 18, the electronic device 100 is shown without thecover 150 for the sake of illustration.

FIG. 19 shows a perspective interior view 1999 of the heat sink withblower assembly 104 that depicts the air flow through the air duct 1760and out of the electronic device 100 through exhaust apertures 161 onthe side wall 151, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples. The air duct 1760 can have fins or louvers 1901 such thatair passing over the fins or louvers 1901 will draw air up through theheat sinks 1952 and 1953. A sidewall of the air duct 1760 is not shownto allow the fins or louvers 1901 to be seen. It is to be appreciatedthat heat sinks 1952 and 1953 can be implemented without a blow or fan209 mounted thereon, in contrast to heat sink 253.

Although the illustrative embodiments have been described herein withreference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that thepresent principles are not limited to those precise embodiments, andthat various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one ofordinary skill in the pertinent art without departing from the scope orspirit of the present principles. All such changes and modifications areintended to be included within the scope of the present principles asset forth in the appended claims.

1. An electronic device (100), comprising: a heat sink with air currentgenerating electric device assembly (104), disposed over a circuit boardwithin the electronic device having heat-generating components thereon,the heat sink with air current generating electric device assemblydispersing heat from the components on the circuit board; wherein theheat sink with air current generating electric device assembly includes:a heat sink (253); an air current generating electric device (209)disposed over the heat sink and having an air intake facing a top of theheat sink and an exhaust opening (277) directed parallel to a plane ofthe circuit board; and an air duct (1760).
 2. The electronic device(100) of claim 1, wherein the heat sink (253) has a solid central core(401) and a plurality of fins (252) protruding from the core and the airduct has a channel (1855) that extends from the exhaust opening of theair current generating electric device to at least one exhaust aperture(161) on at least one side wall (151) of the electronic device.
 3. Theelectronic device (100) of claim 1, wherein the heat sink (253) has aconcave pocket (309) facing a mounting surface of the air currentgenerating electric device (209).
 4. The electronic device (100) ofclaim 1, further comprising a standoff insert (304) between the circuitboard (101) and the heat sink (253) for keeping the heat sink fromrattling and keeping the heat sink spaced away from the circuit board.5. The electronic device (100) of claim 2, wherein the air currentgenerating electric device (209) is a fan in which the blades (1681)thereof are tilted from vertical to force air horizontally across thecircuit board (101) and upward away from the circuit board.
 6. Theelectronic device (100) of claim 2, wherein the air current generatingelectric device (209) is a blower in which the blades (1681) thereof areun-tilted and are vertically oriented to push air horizontally out ofthe exhaust opening (277) and across the circuit board (101).
 7. Theelectronic device (100) of claim 2, further comprising at least oneadditional heat sink (1953) disposed under or proximate to a bottomsurface of the channel (1855), and wherein the channel includes at leastone of fins or louvers (1901) that draw air up through the at least oneadditional heat sink.
 8. The electronic device (100) of claim 1, whereinthe heat sink (253) is an extrusion with press fit inserts for attachingthe heat sink at least one of to the circuit board (101) or through thecircuit board or around the circuit board to a bottom frame (152) of theelectrical device (100).
 9. The electronic device (100) of claim 1,wherein the air current generating electric device (209) is a fan inwhich the blades (1681) thereof are tilted from vertical to force airupward away from the circuit board.
 10. An electronic device (100) witha circuit board (101) having heat generating components thereon;comprising: a heat sink with air current generating electric deviceassembly (104), disposed over the circuit board, through which heat fromthe circuit board and the components thereon is dispersed, and having anair duct (1760) with a channel (1855) that extends from an exhaustopening of the heat sink with air current generating electric deviceassembly to exhaust apertures (161) on a side walls (151) of theelectronic device to exhaust heated air out of the device (100).
 11. Theelectronic device (100) of claim 10, wherein the heat sink with aircurrent generating electric device assembly (104) further includes: aheat sink (253) having a solid central core (401) and a plurality offins (252) protruding from the core; and an air current generatingelectric device (209) disposed over the heat sink and having an airintake facing a top of the heat sink (253) and the exhaust opening (277)directed parallel to a plane of the circuit board, and further having amounting surface (344) and a top surface (345) opposite the mountingsurface (344), wherein the air intake is disposed on the mountingsurface (344) and the heat sink (253) has a periphery (978) thatsurrounds the top surface and the bottom surface and substantiallyfollows a periphery (977) of the air current generating electric device(209).
 12. The electronic device (100) of claim 11, wherein a plane inwhich blades (1681) of the air current generating electric device (104)rotates is parallel to the mounting surface (344).
 13. The electronicdevice (100) of claim 11, wherein the heat sink (253) has a concavepocket (309) facing a mounting surface of the air current generatingelectric device (209).
 14. The electronic device (100) of claim 11,further comprising a standoff insert (304) between the circuit board(101) and the heat sink (253) for keeping the heat sink from rattlingand keeping the heat sink spaced away from the circuit board.
 15. Theelectronic device (100) of claim 11, wherein the air current generatingelectric device (209) is a fan in which the blades (1681) thereof aretilted from vertical to force air horizontally across the circuit board(101) and upward away from the circuit board.
 16. The electronic device(100) of claim 11, wherein the air current generating electric device(209) is a blower in which the blades (1681) thereof are un-tilted andare vertically oriented to push air horizontally out of the exhaustopening (277) and across the circuit board (101).
 17. The electronicdevice (100) of claim 11, wherein the heat sink (253) is an extrusionwith press fit inserts for attaching the heat sink at least one of tothe circuit board (101) or through the circuit board or around thecircuit board to a bottom frame (152) of the electrical device (100).18. The electronic device (100) of claim 11, wherein the air duct (1760)is curved to dampen operating noise from the air current generatingelectric device (209).
 19. The electronic device (100) of claim 10,further comprising at least one additional heat sink (1953) disposedunder or proximate to a bottom surface of the channel (1855), andwherein the channel includes at least one of fins or louvers (1901) thatdraw air up through the at least one additional heat sink.
 20. Theelectronic device (100) of claim 11, wherein the air current generatingelectric device (209) is a blower in which the blades (1681) thereof areun-tilted and are vertically oriented to push air horizontally out ofthe exhaust opening (277).